View new posts | View your posts Why? (trap smoke topic)

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In GB1 when they trap slimmer the trap just closes and sparks a little when Peter kicks it.

Why does it then smoke later? What makes the trap smoke? is it burning the ghost or something?

Cooling down.

I always assumed that the smoke came from the ghost itself, much like they leave behind ectoplasm. And it's not electrically charged like the ghost, so it seeps out of the trap which isn't airtight.

The smoke is actually ghost farts. Getting captured makes them gassy.

^ WIN

What are you saying about "slimmer"? You saying im fat and need to slim down?

Thats not cool man. And i dont even know you.

I DRINK SLIMMER FAST

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Ask Mattycollector. They built those things.

I always thought it was more of a "test run" problem. Yeah, it trapped the ghost but it take a lot of power and they hadn't calibrated the electronics yet and it was slowly burning out as the ghost tried to escape. They actually had to get back to the station quickly to get it in the containment unit before the trap totally failed. It'd also explain why the traps smoke less as the movie progresses through the montage.

But that's a total fan made explanation. Movie wise smoke looks cooler than a flashing light and Onionhead was supposed to release a foul smelling fog in the script.

I agree with Jack's explanation. I always felt it was because the trap was homemade, untested technology. It adds to the sense that something could go horribly, horribly wrong with the equipment at any moment and just adds to the comedic absurdity of these guys who show up to rid your house of ghosts but inadvertently leave behind a swath of destruction with their sparking, smelling, smoking equipment.

But that not the only time it smokes, and even in GB2 it smokes.

Why does the trap smoke? Probably peer pressure.

Lulz!!!!!!!!

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But it smokes after every ghost even in GB2. One would hope by then they would have tested and fixed any problems.

I always thought it was because the trap is only mean to store the ghost's energy, and the smoke was caused by ectoplasm burning off because it was coming in contact with hot components inside the trap. Plus, it just looks cool.

You mean it wasn't because slimer was Bob marley when he was alive?

Because it must.

Probably because once the ghost is trapped the Trap has to keep working to keep the ghost inside. The ghost is still cognizant inside the trap and is likely still putting up a fight inside. The trap has to burn energy to keep the ghost in so after keeping the ghost in there the trap starts to heat up, much like a light bulb heats up when it's left on. The Trap likely burns a lot more energy then a traditional light bulb so it eventually smokes around the body of the Trap. Once it gets too hot the Ghostbusters use the cord to hold the trap instead of the handle. I imagine the trap would eventually have meltdown if the ghost isn't dropped into a containment unit after an allotted time.

Another explanation could be ectoplasm. When a ghosts touches something it leaves that residue behind. Being stuck in the trap the ghost's ectoplasm probably seeps into the electrical workings of the trap causing an electrical burn of sorts or the ectoplasm simply heats up and evaporates.

i believe the trap acts as a capacitor based on the science of the movies ghosts are made up of pure energy electrons this is why proton stremes work they are naturally attracted to ghosts. during capture the ghost is stored in the trap as pure energy. the smoke is a result of heat given off from the charge it is holding it is also why they hold it by the cord or by handle because it is hot.

I'd add that the trap's been calibrated on a basic level (to hold a ghost for a few hours at a time), but variations in every ghost's energy level can cause the trap's field to readjust to contain it effectively.

Yeah, I pulled that one out of thin air but it sounds plausible ("neat, plausible, and wrong.")

Same reason why the DeLorean does it after every time jump... :3

I always thought it was smoldering ectoplasm after having come into contact with the "energy cone".

Am I the only one that thinks the ghost was possibly ice cold, and the smoke was indeed supposed to simulate steam?

I'm going to have to agree with metal in this. The proton packs release prtons(positive energy) which is attacted to a ghost energy. Mayne the trap stores a huge amount of proton energy and when its open it is released like a capacitor dumping its charge. Once that massive amount of positive energy sucks the negative charge of the ghost. This sudden release of energy would cause the system to heat up rapidly. Which in turn explains why the guys are always holding used traps buy the cord and away from them as if it were extremely hot. Just my opinion though.

"Why worry? Each of us is wearing an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on his back."

I'll tell you exactly how the ghost trap functions. I was a lab assistant for Dr. Spengler before his departure from the university, and he had several theories and hypothesis I am somewhat familiar with. The trap functions somewhat as an electromagnetic 'bomb' in that it charges and releases a very high voltage, medium current, E.M.P. pulse. As the doors open, a marker light showing the highest density of flux lines comes on, shining out of the trap doors, and giving a visual perimeter of where to hold the ghost. As the trap is closed, an electrolytic gel capacitor discharges, showering the area above the trap with a high density, positively charged energy field, ionizing the atmospheric gases causing them to illuminate with a increasing brightness the closer in proximity it is to the discharge ports of the trap. This is the secondary, brighter light that eyes should be shielded from. The field draws the ghost in, then powers down to a more manageable, maintainable, secondary EM field that can contain any negatively charged spook in close proximity for a more extended period of time. How long, depends on many factors: molecular strength of the ghost, remaining power, etc. Once the doors of the trap are shut, this EM field is "locked in" until inside a containment field of correct polarity and rotation, obviously, the HQ's containment unit. The ghost trap is a simple yet technically very advanced high voltage instrument that, in my opinion , is quite ingenious.

Also, unlike the back-worn proton collider, the trap makes use of positrons to create its energy field. The Collider uses a proton accelerator and protons to create its semi-controlled particle stream. Oh, and btw, its positron COLLIDER not glider...

I forgot to add, the secondary field can never be 100% efficient, with less efficiency caused by the spook interrupting the laminar field, causes ionization of the atmospheric gases inside the trap. This, combined with humidity vaporizing inside the trap, causes the smoke you can see.

I was also a lab assistant for Dr. Spengler at that time, and I don't remember you being there at all.

/thread

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Because it looks cool! Case closed